Chapter 1

“Millions of faces I have seen with another million hidden behind.
Who knows if someone has another hundred behind,
I am a culprit myself but still hate pretentious acts
The criminals I see are worst than the monster inside me,
Torturing happiness and belittling feelings, how evil can a demon be?
Must the blood be the only basis to file a suit?
Who will compensate for the damage to the heart?
Unseen wounds make no sounds,
The scars on me speak louder than my tears,
Blood running in my veins hurt more than your fear.”

“What a sad poem! Miss, you are too young to frown upon your worries.” I said while she hurried to greet me, “May you have a long life, Prince!” she bowed her head, and without lifting her eyes like others she spoke further, “What brings you here, Your Highness?”

“It’s my brother’s mansion, I am allowed to come here whenever I feel like it,” I answered and tried to take a look at her face, she noticed me and hid her face with an embroidered fan.
“Yes! It’s Crown Prince’s Mansion, Your Highness can visit whenever you want, forgive this subject for speaking too much, but this is the inner chamber of the side palace. This area is reserved for the ladies tonight, even the His Majesty cannot come here.” she replied in a cold tone.
“You want to drive me away, How audacious you are!” I spoke in a bold and loud tone to scare her.
“Indeed! I am, now please leave,” she replied without fearing me. She did not look like the daughter of a high-ranking official yet she knew who I was. Even my sisters above my rank respected me, she was being too fearless; asking me to leave my brother’s Mansion.
“What if I won’t? This is a secluded place, Why a lady like you is here?” I asked curiosity itching me.
However she stepped forward, still covering her face with the fan which was annoying me, ladies and princesses would even lift their veil and peek from the curtains to steal a glance at my face, whereas this lady was trying hard to cover her arrogant face.
I was dumbfounded when she started walking toward me but soon I noticed she walked past me as if I was invisible to her. I turned and yelled, “Where are you going?”
She was at the same distance she was while standing in the place she was earlier, making sad poems.
“Your Highness is right, it’s inappropriate for me to be here. I must take my leave.” She answered in a humble voice that sounded more like she was resenting me for disturbing her.
“You are quite bold! I order you to stay.” I demanded. However, she continued to walk away with hesitation, she did not even turn back even once.
“You dare to defy me!” I yelled at her but she did not stop and spoke without turning back, “How can a person who was never here defy your words!” I could feel the smirk on her face mocking me.
…
“Brother Shiyi, Where have you been?” my brother, the crown prince inquired looking a bit worried.
“I was strolling out for some air, what’s wrong?” I answered with my utmost respect.
“I received a secret military report from Duke of the first rank, our uncle.” He answered, distressed. From his expression, I knew it was bad news.
“What did he say?” I asked, the Duke of the first rank was our maternal uncle sent there to pacify the rebellion in Junhua City.
“He was ambushed and was heavily injured by the rebellions, not many people know about this. He seems to be not able to lead the army, he wants me to secretly go there and help him.” He answered the concern for the people of Junhua City was visible on his face.
“Brother, you can’t go! The Crown Princess Consort is finally pregnant with your heir, the child is the backbone of your position.
If he needs help, why did he not let his father know? I smell something fishy.” I replied, being well aware of my Duke Uncle’s personality.
“You are just being biased against him because he is the half-brother of our mother.”He replied and his words sounded biased to me.
“Let’s not talk about this in the banquet,” I stopped him from discussing this matter in the banquet of Crown Princess Consort and that too in a corner of the room full of distinguished guests, as imperial sons, it was rude of us to talk privately.
He nodded and he both headed back to our seats, my eyes unknowingly kept running to sneak a look at the ladies’ quarter, I was trying to find her knowingly, but I did not how to define her. It was dark and except for her embroidered fan and her short height, I knew nothing about her.
Oh! I forgot her cold tone, sharp words, her bold voice and fearless charm.
My seventh brother, the second eldest son after the crown prince was glaring at me as he sat just across me, I had completely ignored him in search of that rude lady.
He noticed where my gaze was and look behind him to only find a few ministers sitting behind him and the huge curtain separating the ladies’ quarter of the banquet.
I could only see the noble ladies chatting, toasting and giggling at something only God knows the reason. My seventh brother tilted his neck and waved his hand at me but I purposely ignored him as he seemed to be an eyesore at that very point of time when I almost recognised a lady with the same fan, entering the banquet but due to his disturbing act, I lost her again.
“I guess the rumour about you is wrong, Shiyi.” He scoffed at me and I had no way to avoid him anymore, I frowned and asked, “What rumour?”
“You are really hilarious brother, how come you don’t know about your own rumour?” he mocked me.
“I am a dignified prince, how can I spare time in gossiping?”I spoke in an uninterested tone and again ran my hawk-like eyes to hunt her, I don’t know why. But I could not help it, maybe I was just unsatisfied with the end of our conversation.
He blocked my view with an annoying head and spoke loud enough for everyone to hear, “That you like men!” His words attracted my burning eyes to him as my pupils widened looking at his ridiculous smile.
The Crown Prince, the eldest surviving brother was stunned as well to hear such a riotous thing, he asked furiously, “Who spread this absurd rumour?”
“Dogs and cats…
Eldest brother, how can I know? I just overheard this while I was strolling in the market incognito.” he brushed off the blame from his sleeves.
A silence fell in the banquet hall, no one dared to speak as they realised the rising temperature of my blood. However, a tiny giggle attracted the attention of every guest present there.
The Crown Princess Consort, my sister-in-law and the hostess seemed to have found this thing humorous and could not hold herself from breaking the silence. My brother, the crown prince frowned at her and made her stop and continue to settle down on her seat.
She sat at her throne with a straight face and regretted laughing, my sister-in-law was the most cheerful person in the Imperial family yet the most cautious woman, Her Majesty had carefully picked her from over a thousand candidates. ‘Perfect in every aspect’ was how Empress Dowager, my grandmother described her in an edict.
She doted on us, her husband’s sibling the most and spoiled my sisters in every way she could yet the expenses of her palace were half of an attendant’s palace.
Beside her was my seventh sister-in-law, princess consort of my seventh brother, the most graceful lady with a soft temper, she was a childhood friend of Crown Princess Consort and both got along well and it made everyone around them envious of their fate.
However, I noticed another lady on the left side of my sixth sister-in-law, I could not recognise her like other ladies. She seemed to have no expression on her face. It wasn’t clear because of that damn curtain.
“Seventh Brother, rumours are started by evil mouths and spread by stupid people, don’t become one.
Isss…
I don’t understand why did bring this up here at all times.
Do you want to curse my unborn child?” Sixth Brother scolded him for spoiling the mood of the celebration.
“I was stunned that Shiyi was actually interested in one of the ladies present in sister-in-law’s banquet.”
No sooner did he finish his sentence than all the eyes were on me, I was dumbfounded and did not know how to react.
“Shiyi? Is that true? When did you meet a lady at this banquet? Don’t tell me..”
“No! Brother, I was in the garden, strolling for some fresh air. You can ask the ladies if anyone of them were out there.” I replied immediately, as the lady in the garden won’t reveal her to avoid the shame that this matter would bring.
“I wonder who is the fortunate lady to catch His highness’ eyes.” seventh sister-in-law scanned the ladies’ quarter as she inquired in an enticing tone.
A silence fell in the room again, I wanted to explain but I knew even if I have a thousand mouths I cannot clear myself from the accusation.
“I know!” A lady spoke up in an excited manner, and my soul felt like sitting beside me. The eyes of the guest were again on me, my brother had an evil smirk as he turned his neck to see the face of the lady who had spoken up, playing along with his play.